There is something deeply unsettling and strangely comforting about the way God calls His people. He rarely waits until they feel ready. He does not ask for polished résumés or overflowing confidence. Instead, He speaks into ordinary lives and calls out what He already sees.
As a new year begins, many women are quietly asking questions they may never say out loud.
Am I capable of this?
Did I misunderstand what God is asking of me?
Why do I feel so unqualified?
Scripture reminds us that feeling unprepared does not disqualify us from being called. Often, it confirms that the calling is from God and not from ourselves.
God Sees What We Cannot Yet See
In Judges 6, we meet Gideon at one of the lowest points of his life and Israel’s history. He is hiding, threshing wheat in a winepress to avoid the Midianites. He is afraid, discouraged, and questioning where God has gone.
That is where the Lord finds him.
“The Lord turned to him and said, ‘Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian’s hand. Am I not sending you?’”
Judges 6:14
God does not tell Gideon to wait until he feels brave. He does not instruct him to gather experience or confidence first. God simply says, Go in the strength you have.
Gideon’s response sounds painfully familiar.
“Pardon me, my lord,” Gideon replied, “but how can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family.”
Judges 6:15
Gideon immediately lists his limitations. His weakness. His lack. His place at the bottom. Yet God never corrects Gideon’s self-assessment. Instead, He redirects Gideon’s focus.
“The Lord answered, ‘I will be with you.’”
Judges 6:16
That is the turning point.
God does not argue with Gideon about whether he is weak. God simply promises His presence. And that presence is enough.
Ordinary Does Not Mean Unqualified
God has always called ordinary people to carry out extraordinary purposes. Women who felt unseen. Mothers who felt stretched thin. Servants who never imagined themselves as leaders. God’s calling has never depended on human strength but on divine purpose.
Gideon was not chosen because of his courage. He was chosen because God saw who Gideon could become when empowered by Him.
The same is true for us.
God often calls us while we are still hiding, still questioning, still unsure. He speaks identity before ability. Purpose before preparedness. Calling before equipping.
When God calls, He already knows what He will supply along the way.
Why God Calls Before We Feel Ready
If we waited until we felt fully equipped, we would be tempted to rely on ourselves instead of God. But when God calls us in our weakness, there is no confusion about where the strength comes from.
This is why calling often feels uncomfortable at first. It stretches our trust. It requires surrender. It asks us to believe that God sees something we cannot yet see in ourselves.
Gideon’s story reminds us that God does not wait for perfection. He looks for obedience.
The beginning of a new year can stir pressure to become someone new. But God is not asking us to reinvent ourselves. He is asking us to trust Him.
Application
Take time this week to reflect honestly before God.
Ask yourself:
-
Where do I feel unqualified or unprepared right now?
-
Is there something God has been nudging my heart toward that I have been resisting out of fear?
-
What would obedience look like if I trusted God’s presence more than my limitations?
Write down the areas where you feel weakest and offer them to God in prayer. Instead of asking Him to remove your fear, ask Him to meet you in it.
Remember, God does not call the equipped. He equips the called.
Prayer
Father,
Thank You that You see what I cannot yet see. Thank You for calling me even when I feel small, unsure, or unprepared. Help me to trust that Your presence is enough. When fear rises, remind me that You go before me. Teach me to walk in obedience, not confidence in myself, but confidence in You. As this new year begins, I place my calling, my doubts, and my future in Your hands. Lead me, strengthen me, and use my ordinary life for Your glory.
In Jesus' Name. Amen.
Add comment
Comments